Samsara
by Orym Hawksong
Summary: From his mother, Uzumaki Naruto gained the blood of the Senju and the will of Ashura. From his father Uzumaki Naruto gained the blood of the Uchiha and the will of Indra. What was split in two is whole again. Uzumaki Naruto is the child of prophecy, raised by Itachi to bring peace to this world. Sharingan/Rinnegan/Mokuton/smart Naruto. Pairing will be Naru/Tayuya but maybe more.
1. Prologue

Uzumaki Naruto cursed the world. Only fuzzy images were visible through the sticky red blood that ran over his face, blinding him somewhat to the fists, feet, and whatever other weapons were being directed at him. There was pain, and it was warm, he was acutely aware of the beating of his heart, the precious life-giving blood that was pumping through his veins while simultaneously spilling out of a wound on his head.

" _Why? … Why me?"_ the boy thought, as his eyes winced closed. There was a savaging ripping sound, someone had sliced through his stomach.

" _Please just let it be over… I don't want to feel anymore…"_

* * *

Paint chips, small rocks, and gravel crumbled to the floor as the Third Hokage slammed his fist through the wall. He might have been getting on in age, but there was a reason he was still Hokage, and that shinobi the world over still revered him as the 'God of Shinobi'. All that reverence and power was useless to him as he stared through his crystal ball, watching helplessly as the drunken and hateful villagers took out their vengeance on an innocent seven year-old boy.

The ANBU stationed in the office wisely kept his silence as the Hokage clenched his teeth and his fists. These were the villagers that Minato and Kushina had sacrificed their life and child for? The Will of Fire? What was it worth, what were the life, blood, and tears shed by his students, comrades and teachers for if the people of the village so easily gave themselves over to blind hate and anger? If they could not separate the Kyuubi from the innocent boy that protected all of them, how could they truly see?

"Leave me. Go see to Naruto's wounds. If he dies…", the Third Hokage's voice trailed off threateningly as his ANBU guard disappeared.

Alone in his office, the Hokage's shoulders slumped as the silence became oppressive. The emptiness of the room seem to fill the ghosts of long-gone shinobi mocking him for his failures. It was the fate of all who held power without being corrupted by it. The taunting of history, the questioning of their own choices and the guild of their own failures. While the Hokage was old physically, it was only in these moments of lonely vulnerability that he truly felt old mentally.

"It is done." Came the hollow voice of Uchiha Itachi. It was a broken sound, filled with barely contained grief and guilt overlapped with the emptiness of man who had just sacrificed everything for his village.

Turning around, Sarutobi's heart was broken again as he saw the state of the Uchiha clan genius. Itachi's face was tear-streaked, his eyes were a hollowed shell in comparison to the eyes of the bright young man who had stood in front of Sarutobi as he was made Chunin at age 10. His slack shoulders spoke volumes of the man's spirit and resolve. Uchiha Itachi was crumbling into nothingness.

"I am so sorry Itachi-san. I wish there could have been a different way. Danzo has tied my hands and has wrestled support from the civilian council and a good number of the clan heads. Nothing I say can make up for what I have ordered you to do, and I beg your forgiveness." Said Sarutobi as he bent down and prostrated himself before one of the last remaining Uchiha.

"Please stand Hokage-sama. The fault is not yours, you tried your best. I know that. Both Danzo and the elders as well as my clan put us in this situation. I do not blame you." Said Itachi softly as he knelt to hold up the Hokage.

As the two men stood up, a swirl of leaves notified them to the arrival of Sarutobi's most trusted ANBU, with Naruto Uzumaki's bloody, beaten, and unconscious form in his arms. He gently set Naruto down before taking off his dog mask with red and black markings.

"I am sorry Hokage-sama. I could not hold back after seeing the sight of what those… those _scum_ did to Minato-sensei's son. I have disposed of their bodies." Said Hatake Kakashi, spitting out the word scum with enough venom to surprise even the Hokage.

"I have asked more from you than any man could give Itachi-san, but now I must ask you for more." Said the Hokage as he brushed Naruto's bloodied hair out of his face. "You must take Naruto-kun with you as flee the village tonight. He must not stay in Konoha another day."

Kakashi and even Itachi looked surprised as the Hokage turned to address the Uchiha in front of him.

"But Hokage-sama, he is Minato-sensei's son! Regardless of how badly the villagers treat him, this is his home." Said Kakashi. "If it's a matter of looking after him, I've told you I will adopt him, I can raise him, protect him, give him a home! Please let me do it for Minato-sensei."

The Hokage sighed sadly as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply before opening them again. "What I am about to tell the two of you is an SS-ranked secret that must never leave this room. Itachi I give you permission to tell Naruto if you decide but I leave that up to you."

Sarutobi continued after both men nodded, "I have been lax and Danzo has been far busier in the shadows of this village than I thought possible. He has made it so I will lose the position of Hokage if I or anyone else attempts to protect Naruto-kun. He wishes to have the villagers' cruelty paint Naruto black before claiming him as weapon for himself and the village. He wishes to transform Naruto into an obedient, jinchuuriki killing machine and I will not allow that."

"Naruto is the child of prophecy. He is the one that will bring peace and stability to this rotten and war‑torn world of shinobi. What I am about to tell you not even Danzo knows or he would have acted much sooner to claim Naruto. From his mother's side, the Uzumaki clan is descended from Senju Hashirama‑sama. He is directly linked to the First Hokage by blood. From his father's side, I traced Minato's heritage and found that his ancestor was the bastard child of Uchiha Madara, born out of wedlock." Both Kakashi and Itachi's eyes widened at this revelation.

The Hokage continued without acknowledging their surprise. "In addition to all that, he is the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. In Naruto lies the potential for uniting the two legacies of the Sage of Six Paths as well as more potential than any other individual born since the creation of shinobi. Do you understand Itachi-san? I entrust to you the raising of a child on whom the hopes of this world rest. He must not be tainted by Danzo, or anyone else."

"I understand Hokage-sama. I will not fail you or this world." Said Itachi solemnly as he picked up the boy and cradled him in his arms. Before leaving, Itachi turned to face the other two men. "Kakashi-san, Hokage-sama, please do not tell Sasuke about the truth behind tonight. I want him to grow up believing the Uchiha were a glorious clan, I want him to come and kill me so he can restore the clan's honor and be hailed as a hero in Konoha. Please allow me this much."

"I understand Itachi-san. I promise, I will train him as best I can." Said Kakashi softly.

"Goodbye Itachi-san. Thank you for your sacrifice." Said the Hokage.

The Uchiha and Naruto disappeared in murder of crows.

"Now steel yourself Kakashi… We are about to wage war with the rotten and festering roots beneath the tree of Konoha. There will be no quarter and this shadow can only end with my death or Danzo's." said the Hokage steely.

"Hai."

* * *

Naruto did not know how long he had been out, but the soreness in his body suggested that this time, he had been unconscious for quite awhile. He had not died it seemed and that meant it was time to stumble back to his hole of an apartment and try to sleep and recover. He noticed however that he was already in a bed and that his wounds had been cleaned and bandaged.

"Good morning Naruto-kun." Came a soft voice to his left.

Naruto looked over and saw a man sitting beside him, leaning back so that his face was obscured by shadow and only his eyes were visible.

"W-who are you…?" asked Naruto weakly.

"From today on, I will be your older brother, and I will protect you." Said the man in a kind voice.

Two sets of red eyes with black tomoes pulsed in the darkness.


	2. Chapter 1: Empty Reflection of the Moon

"Itachi nii-san?"

"Yes Naruto?"

"Why are my eyes like this?" asked Naruto as he stared into the mirror, examining his two fully matured Sharingan.

"Those eyes are called the Sharingan, they are the hallmark of my clan, the Uchiha." Said Itachi as he gently pulled Naruto away from the mirror sat him down, face-to-face.

"They allow us to see chakra and its influence own people like genjutsu. It allows us to perceive with incredible clarity and with training one can even use the Sharingan to see it other people's memories, and it can let us copy, memorize, and potentially counter, any ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu we encounter. It also enhances and allows to cast genjutsu through our eyes and merely via eye-to‑eye contact like so," said Itachi as he stared into Naruto's eyes and Sharingan spun.

Naruto suddenly realized he was no longer sitting on the floor but standing next to Itachi back in Konoha. The full moon shone down brilliantly as the leaves whistled gently in the wind and birds chirped and cooed softly at night.

"This is the night you were born Naruto. This is the reason why some of the villagers seem to hate you so much." Said Itachi softly as he held the boy's trembling hand.

An almighty roar echoed through the hidden village as the Kyuubi suddenly appeared in a giant cloud of smoke. The birds took off in a giant wave, their wings pumping as hard as they could to escape the appearance of the strongest and most terrifying of the bijuu. Screams could be heard around the village as parents sent their children running towards bunkers, shinobi looked around frantically for superiors to give them orders, chaos ruled the village as terror gripped its inhabitants.

"This night, your mother and father sacrificed themselves to stop to the Kyuubi from the destroying the village. But a bijuu is beyond normal shinobi and not bound the laws and governances of mortals, they cannot be killed, only sealed. Your father, Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyuubi into his newborn son. You Naruto. He could not ask another to bear this burden. Your mother, Uzumaki Kushina, was the previous jinchuriki and that meant that you had the highest chance of compatibility with the Kyuubi." Said Itachi as he gave Naruto a hug before dispelling the genjutsu and looking at him.

"My father… was the Fourth Hokage?" asked Naruto.

"Yes. He and your mother were great shinobi, but more than that they were good people. They gave their lives for peace and to save others. I am sure they wished they could have raised you themselves, seen you grow up, and lived to see you achieve your dreams but the world can be unkind and they were faced with an impossible choice. To let the village be destroyed and its people killed, or to die themselves and seal the Kyuubi inside you." Explained Itachi, he hoped that the boy would be able to understand what he was talking about.

"I wish I could have met them at least once." Said Naruto after a moment of collecting his thoughts. "But I'm happy that they were good people."

" _He's so gentle and pure. If you could only see him Shisui, he will be the light that burns away the darkness that clutches at our clan, Konoha, this world."_ Thought Itachi as he ruffled the boy's hair.

"At least I understand why the villagers kept tormenting me now. I wish they hadn't but that means I can change the reason. Itachi nii-san will you help me?" said Naruto looking up at Itachi with an excited expression.

"Of course, Naruto. You're my loveable younger brother now, I will do whatever I can to help you," chuckled the older Uchiha.

"Now one last thing Naruto, since you have the Kyuubi inside you, have you ever talked with it?" asked Itachi as he knelt to look Naruto in the eyes.

"No nii-san, I didn't know until you told me."

"Would you like to?"

"Hmm…. Yeah, if the Kyuubi is inside me then I should meet it!" said Naruto with a smile.

"Very well." Itachi's eyes transformed into his Mangekyō Sharingan as he stared into Naruto's Sharingan, transporting both of them deep into his subconscious.

* * *

Naruto and Itachi found themselves in a darkened corridor with water rising to their ankles. The steady drip of the water added to the already unnerving atmosphere. The walls were damp and in front of them were two giant gates, sealed shut with a square seal seemingly holding the gates shut. Behind the gate rested an enormous nine-tailed fox, the Kyuubi. It was curled up and opened one eye as they approached.

" **The brat finally comes to visit… and he even brings me a snack. How thoughtful of you."** Sneered the Kyuubi as it lazily swatted its tails about, shaking the entire area as it did.

"Hello Kyuubi, I am Uchiha Itachi, I will be Naruto's caretaker and –"

" **I know who you are… I see everything through his eyes"** growled the Kyuubi as he motioned towards Naruto with a claw. **"What cruel fate… to think my container this time around** _ **and**_ **his protector would both have those cursed eyes…"**

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto curiously as he cocked his head to the side.

" **I did not choose to attack Konoha the night you were born, although I might have anyways…"** said the Kyuubi as it trailed off with a deep snicker. **"No an Uchiha ripped me out of your mother during your birth… he then controlled me with his Sharingan and made me attack your village. Can you guess which Uchiha?"**

"There are only a few Uchiha in history that possess the strength necessary to control a Bijuu. Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, my father Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Kagami, my friend Uchiha Shisui and perhaps myself although I would rather not test that claim," begain Itachi as both the Kyuubi and Naruto listened in.

"Based on that list, both Shisui and myself would have been too young and neither of us had awakened our Mangekyō Sharingan at that point in time. Uchiha Kagami died defending the village, my father was with my family and myself prior to your attack and immediately afterwards was ordered to help the civilians rather than engage so he had no chance to control you. Uchiha Izuna passed away and was interred in the Uchiha family vaults. Even if he hadn't he had given his eyes to Uchiha Madara. It has to be Madara. Every other Uchiha is accounted for and his is the only 'dead' Uchiha whose body was never recovered or found." Said Itachi in a calm voice as he counted off the members of his clan with his fingers.

" **You have an interesting protector here brat. I don't sense any fear from him at all. Impressive…"**

"Fear stems from a lack of understanding. If you allow it to control you, you give in to irrationality, to hate, and to paranoia. To succumb to any of those emotions is to lose oneself." Explained Itachi. Turning to look at Naruto he continued, "This is a good lesson for you Naruto. The Kyuubi is not a mindless demon. It is sentient, it has its own wishes and desire, and it should be afforded the same respect that we give to each other."

"Yes, Itachi nii-san." Said Naruto as he walked up closer to the sealed gate. The Kyuubi focused its one open on the little boy watching it curiously.

"Hello Kyuubi-san." Naruto said seriously while scrunching his face up to look serious as he attempted to execute a formal bow. Itachi smiled at the sight while the Kyuubi's eyes soften and a low chuckle rolled from deep within the fox.

" **Hey kid… come here."**

Naruto turned to look at itachi who smiled at him and nodded for him to go closer to the Kyuubi.

" _ **He talks about ideals and peace and I can clearly tell he'd wrestle control away from me if I even attempted to do anything to the kid. It practically radiates off him… Still good to know he's going to help the kid… He needs training before he'll be able to do anything."**_ Thought the Kyuubi as he glanced at Itachi while Naruto came over. The Uchiha's face was an impassive mask but his Mangekyō Sharingan flashed and pulsed dangerously, signally impending doom should the Kyuubi attempt anything.

" _ **Sealed into the kid that reunites both halves of Hagoromo's legacy and chakra with an Uchiha prodigy watching over him… can't say I'll be bored."**_

Naruto walked up to the bars of the gate and examined them for a little bit before sliding through them and into the other side with the Kyuubi. He moved closer to the gigantic fox and then started feeling it's fur and running around to look at it from all angles. Itachi silently let out a small sigh of relief, the boy had not yet lost the sense of innocence and excitement that characterized children of his age. It was a small miracle, and a welcome one at that.

" **Kid..."** started the Kyuubi as Naruto stopped moving to look up at the fox. **"What do you want?"**

Naruto simply stared blankly up at the fox as both the Kyuubi and Itachi mentally facepalmed. He was usually so mature and composed that it was hard to remember that Naruto was a seven year‑old child except at times like this.

" **I mean what is your goal? What do you want to do?"**

"Well… I don't want anyone to have to go through what I went through. I'm proud that my parents were good people but I don't want other kids to have to grow up without their parents. This world, the shinobi, the jinchuriki, the bijuu it's a system that leads to a circle of hate. That's wrong. I want to fix that." Said Naruto with the confidence only a child could have, after a moment of thought.

" **I see… well you're just a brat right now. You have no training and you can't do anything…"** said the Kyuubi but he quickly continued after seeing how depressed Naruto had gotten after he spoke. **"But you have potential and I want to see if you can make that dream a reality. I will help you but only if you can live up to that potential."**

"Really?" asked Naruto excitedly. The Kyuubi nodded but continued, **"However, if you can't then your nothing more than a kid with a big mouth that can't do anything. I'll be watching…"**

As he trailed off the Kyuubi gently hooked the tip of one claw through the neckline of Naruto's shirt and set him down outside the bars of the gate.

" **Now begone. I'm getting bored."** Said the Kyuubi as he closed his eyes and curled back up, making clear that the visit was over.

"Let's go back Naruto." Said Itachi as he held out his hand for his adopted brother. As he ran up to Itachi the corridor melted away until they were both back sitting on the floor of the hideout that Itachi had taken them to.

After they returned Naruto had taken a shower and Itachi had redressed the injuries that Naruto had received from the villagers. To his surprise they were all almost completely healed. Naruto's recovery speed must have been a side-effect of being the Kyuubi's jinchuriki.

"The Kyuubi was right Naruto. It's good that changing this world and this flawed system to bring peace is your dream, but you need power to make the world change, and the only way to get that is to train. Shall we begin?"

"Yes Itachi nii-san!"

* * *

 **Six Years Later**

While Itachi had managed to raise and train Naruto in relative seclusion for several years, he had managed to continue to collect information about potential enemies of Konoha. It was the notification that Orochimaru had resurfaced that lead to both Naruto and Itachi deciding that it was time for them to re-enter the world at large.

"So, this Orochimaru is one of the Sannin? Why did he betray Konoha?" asked Naruto as he and Itachi sped through the forest.

"Yes. He is one the Sannin, he left because your father was chosen as Hokage over him and he felt slighted by it." Replied Itachi. He looked over at the teenager next to him and felt pride well up inside him. Naruto was an absolute genius far surpassing what he himself had been able to accomplish at his age. While it might be slightly foolish to bring him along to confront Orochimaru, Itachi knew that he alone would not guarantee a victory and Naruto's presence would be a boon.

"So… Orochimaru is just… petty?" asked Naruto with an unimpressed look on his face. Itachi sighed.

"It is more complicated than that, and you need to remember to mask your emotions, your voice, your tone, your posture everything that can be perceived can show an opponent your weakness or a vulnerability. We must be the empty reflection of the moon." Cautioned Itachi as he motioned for them to slow and stop. At this Naruto's face once again returned to an impassive neutral look as he nodded at Itachi.

The two stopped and put up the hoods of their full-bodied cloaks. It would have been problematic for either of them to be spotted. Itachi had explained what had happened the night of the Uchiha massacre to Naruto after making him swear to never reveal the secret and being labelled a nuke-nin meant he and Naruto's travel options were limited to stealth and non-shinobi villages, towns, and cities.

Normally, Itachi would not have risked Naruto like this but the news of Orochimaru's reappearance coincided with the fact the Konoha was on the decline. Ever since the night of the Uchiha massacre six years ago the Third Hokage and Danzo had been waging a shadow war against each other for control of the village. The Hokage did not possess enough evidence nor political clout at this point to directly order Danzo's execution. On the other hand, Danzo did not have the numbers, prestige, nor wealth required to oust Sarutobi Hiruzen from the seat of Hokage. The charming, sunny backdrop served as a thin façade and illusion for the increasingly brutal war being waged underneath. Assassinations, abductions, and blackmail were becoming more and more common in the village and this sapped its strength.

As Konoha declined so did Kumo and Iwa rise. Konoha was no longer the hegemonic hidden village among the Five Great Shinobi Nations and everyone old enough to remember knew that a multilateral power dispersal meant that the build-up to a Fourth Shinobi World War was all but inevitable. The world was slowly sliding back towards the chaos, hate, and terror of war and this precarious situation would not last long regardless of what lay ahead.

Orochimaru, with his previous ties to Danzo, could potentially tip the scales of the delicate balance of power within Konoha. Itachi knew that this could not be allowed to happen unless they could somehow persuade Orochimaru to make amends and side with his former sensei. Having established a small hidden village in the Land of Rice Fields, Orochimaru had started to build a powerbase. This meant that he was no longer operating independently, and that meant that Itachi's connections could point the way to Orochimaru.

"Have you heard any news about Sasuke?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, he was rookie of the year in his class and I believe he was assigned to Kakashi's team. I hope he's doing well." Said Itachi as a rare smile graced his face.

"Nii-san a shinobi must be the empty reflection of the moon, right?" mocked Naruto in a joking voice before Itachi flicked him on the forehead.

"Ouch… That's good though. Kakashi also has a Sharingan right? He should be able to teach Sasuke how to use his." Responded Naruto as Itachi nodded his agreement.

"We should be coming up to the base that Orochimaru is currently at. If we are fortunate there will be no need for combat but I expect that that will be the case. Be confident Naruto, while you might lack real battle experience your abilities will help make up for it. Just remember to always be calm and analyze the situation thoroughly." Said Itachi.

"I wasn't aware that you had another brother, Itachi-kun." Came a slippery voice from behind the two. "And its bad form to bring a novice on an assassination mission. Don't tell me you've gotten rusty?"

"Orochimaru, thank you for saving us the trouble of finding you," said Itachi as he and Naruto turned around to face the Snake Sannin.

Orochimaru was flanked by four shinobi, a fair‑skinned girl of slender build with long red hair, a dark‑skinned teenage boy with black hair pulled back in a ponytail and six arms, a large man with an orange mohawk and two tufts of hair on the side of his head, and another teenage boy with straight dark blue hair and a second head protruding behind him from the nape of his neck.

"I haven't come alone, these are my Sound Four, my bodyguards and the four of them should prove a challenge even for you Itachi. So, do you really think you can kill me?" asked Orochimaru as his four shinobi fanned out around the area.

"We aren't here to kill you Orochimaru. I doubt you would listen to Jiraiya-sama or Tsunade-sama but given the situation in Konoha we had no choice but to come ourselves." Said Itachi calmly as his Sharingan pulsed and spun putting all of the Sound Four on edge as they readied themselves in battle formation.

"Oh? This is surprising, who would have known that you still worked for Konoha. How is my old teacher?" asked Orochimaru with surprise as his smile grew even wider.

"We are here because we want you to make peace with the Hokage and to work once again for the sake of Konoha, for peace." Said Naruto in a calm voice. After a second of disbelief, minus the red haired girl, the Sound Four and Orochimaru let out a harsh laugh.

"Why would I ever do that?" asked Orochimaru. "My goals are no longer limited to one measly village. I will use Konoha and when it no longer has anything to offer me, I will go farther."

"Then join us Orochimaru. If you continue to destabilize the region, Konoha will fall into an open civil war, Kumo, Iwa, Suna, and Kiri will all take advantage, not to mention the smaller villages. The world will once again fall into war." Said Naruto once the Sannin and his compatriots had stopped laughing.

"Why would I possibly care about that? It doesn't matter to–" started Orochimaru before Naruto cut him off.

"I know about you Orochimaru. Your story is a sad one. You lost your parents to war, you were orphaned at a young age, and you've been trying to fill the void ever since, haven't you?" queried Naruto simply as Orochimaru was silenced in surprise. Itachi mentally smirked. So Naruto _had_ done his homework and read the dossier he had given him after all.

"No amount of jutsu knowledge will fill that void Orochimaru, and some part of you knows that. The world is unfair and unkind but we do not have to contribute to it and we can stop others from having to experience the same pain that you went through. You can do this Orochimaru, you can help stop this. Join us." Said Naruto as he held out an open hand.

"Big words for a small kid. No one changes the world without power and I am not so foolish as to believe that I am the strongest. If you can't back up those words. You're nothing more than a naïve kid spouting empty words with a big mouth." Said Orochimaru seemingly echoing the same thing the Kyuubi had said to Naruto all those years ago.

"In that case, we will show you our strength." Said Itachi as he and Naruto shifted their stances slightly.

"Very well. Let us see which of our ideals is stronger." Said Orochimaru as the smile disappeared from his face.

"Orochimaru will be too much for you. I will face him. Can you handle the other four?" asked Itachi as he glanced at Naruto. Naruto nodded in affirmation. Orochimaru and Itachi then disappeared, clearly moving away to fight in a different location.

"Come, I will take you all on." Said Naruto as the Sound Four surrounded.

"Arrogant kid… it's your funeral." Said the large man as he disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto ready to strike him with an open palm. The man with the ponytail had already created several golden spears from his mouth and fired them at Naruto. The man with two heads appeared behind Naruto with four arms all aiming at vital spots. The force of all of the attacks connecting with Naruto simultaneously created a large explosion as the ground beneath him cracked and compressed from the force.

The three members of the Sound Four that had attacked smirked as they saw their handiwork.

"Nice one Jirobo, you crushed his ribcage with that strike." Said the man with two heads as the larger man nodded.

"You broke his neck, his spine and cracked his skull at the same time, Sakon, Ukon. Impressive." Said Jirobo back to the man.

"Hey, I pierced his heart from three different angles. You guys give me some respect!" Yelled the man with the ponytail.

"Shut up Kidomaru no one cares. The kid had no chance against us." Said Sakon harshly before turning to the girl. "Tayuya why didn't you do anything?"

Tayuya didn't respond as she simply stood their motionless. The other three members of the Sound Four turned to look at here.

"While it may be more ladylike for you to be quiet this is unlike you Tayuya." Said Jirobo.

"What's the deal?" asked Kidomaru.

"She's the only one of you that noticed." Came a voice behind them. The three of them quickly turned around and backed away.

"What the hell! How are you alive?" asked Kidomaru in a fearful scowl as Naruto stood there completely untouched.

"Have none of you realized it? You've been caught in my genjutsu since before this battle started. I assume Tayuya is the genjutsu specialist among you? She was the only one that noticed." Said Naruto matter‑of‑factly. The three quickly tried to dispel the illusion.

"Don't bother trying. This particular genjutsu is extremely vulnerable to disruption and being dispelled while I am in the process of casting it but once you are ensnared only another Sharingan-user could break it," came Naruto's monotone voice as he activated his Sharingan.

"Now… what to do with the three of you…"

* * *

Tayuya watched as Naruto simply stood impassively while the other members of the Sound Four suddenly collapsed unconscious where they stood. She had felt the subtle web of the genjutsu the kid was weaving and while it was masterful she was no slouch when it came to using, detecting, and resisting illusory jutsu. Still it was astonishing that someone her age could have done this

"Why didn't you warn them? With your skill you could have easily stopped me from casting it altogether rather than just protecting yourself. I'm under no illusion that I could have beaten all four of you working together." Said Naruto as he turned towards the girl.

"I hate this world. I hate it. I was fucking orphaned because of these wars and skirmishes. I don't want to live not knowing if I have to kill just to live to the end of the day. That's not a life. I want to be able to actually choose, to actually live. I don't want to be afraid anymore." Said Tayuya in a hurry as if she didn't get it all out now then she would never be able to.

"If you weren't kidding about wanting to end this, then I want to join you guys. I don't want another girl or kid to go through the hell I went through. It needs to stop." Said Tayuya firmly.

"Thank you, Tayuya of the North." Said Naruto with a genuine smile as he held out his hand and Tayuya grasped it.

Clapping echoed around the clearing as Naruto and Tayuya looked around for the source.

"That was an impressive display. Skill can make up for raw power and experience and you've demonstrated that wonderfully." Said Orochimaru as he and Itachi both jumped down from the treetops.

" _Such mastery of genjutsu at his age… and he subdued them without causing any physical or mental damage from what it seems…"_ thought Orochimaru as he glanced over his unconscious bodyguards.

"Orochimaru-sama I– I didn't know you were watching, I–" started Tayuya in stumbling voice with panic clearly written on her face. Orochimaru held up his hand to silence her.

"It's alright Tayuya. I understand. His truth reached you as well did it not? I had thought I managed to cut off my humanity. I thought I could transcend the pain I felt through knowledge. I was a fool. It looks like this boy is wiser than I ever was." Said Orochimaru softly with a sad smile on his face. He turned to face Naruto and nodded holding out his hand.

"I am at your disposal, Naruto-kun. How should we begin?" Naruto turned to Itachi for confirmation as the Uchiha nodded. He shook the Sannin's hand. Tayuya seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as Itachi, Naruto and Orochimaru all began to discuss the logistics, planning, and contingencies necessary to begin stabilizing and healing the damage to the world.

" _To change Orochimaru-sama's mind… you really are special aren't you Naruto?"_ thought Tayuya as she watched this boy her age converse with the Sannin and Uchiha genius as equals. She let herself relax and smile slightly as a weight was lifted from her shoulders. For the first time in a long time, she felt hope.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

So my update schedule for Samsara will be extremely not consistent. Just wanting to give everyone a heads up on that. Writing my dissertation is going to take priority and while I enjoy writing Samsara it is meant to be a relaxing break from the dissertation. I won't be able to guarantee anything but I will try to update whenever I can. This is a longer chapter but I felt like I shouldn't leave the story with just the short prologue so I crammed this out. If you guys have any questions about things happening in the story feel free to leave it in a review and I will try to answer it in the AN section of the next chapter.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 2: Moving Forward

It had been a week since Naruto and Itachi had convinced Orochimaru to support them. In that time, they have moved their base of operations in to the Land of Rice Paddies and started planning long-term. While his support would greatly enhance the Sarutobi Hiruzen's campaign to crush Danzo, as Orochimaru had had dealings with Danzo before, it did not change the fact that the Leaf was rapidly on the decline and many of the other Great Villages were already angling to snatch up territory from the Land of Fire.

"While I have seen your talent Naruto-kun, it does not change the fact that for the rest of Shinobi society they will only see two nuke-nin geniuses manipulating a young child for their own gain. In order for your ideals to be heard, you must step out from underneath mine and Itachi-kun's shadows. If you do not establish your strength you will not be able to get any of the Kages much less the Daimyos to listen to you." Said Orochimaru as he, Naruto, and Tayuya gathered around a table in Otogakure with a map of the Elemental Nations on it.

"This is problematic. Even if you, Itachi nii-san, and I were to complete contracts and bounties to raise my standing in the eyes of Shinobi society, the only people that would hire nuke-nin are not exactly the type of individuals who would be open to the notion of peace… and even then, people would assume that you and Itachi nii-san are carrying me…" said Naruto with a slight frown as he examined the map.

"One way for you and Tayuya-chan to be acknowledged at your age is if you enter the Chunin Exams. For your age, passing would be considered an exemplary feat. You would be hailed as geniuses and prodigies." Suggested Itachi.

"Yes. That could work. However, Naruto-kun and Tayuya-chan would need a third individual to compete unless given special permission to compete as a duo team, they would also likely need a Jonin instructor or someone to act as a Jonin instructor." Offered Orochimaru.

"You've been quiet Tayuya, do you have any thoughts?" asked Naruto as the red haired kunoichi looked up.

"Well… There are tales of shinobi without a hidden village competing and passing the chunin trials and then having their services bid for by competing villages. If we entered without a village sponsoring us we wouldn't have to find a third member as well." Said Tayuya after a moment of hesitation.

"When is the next chunin exam?" asked Naruto.

"The next one is in a few months in Konoha. That would give us time to have the two of you mesh as a team, and to go over your weaknesses and strengths as well as training. Itachi can teach you things that I can't Tayuya-chan, and I can teach you things that Itachi-kun cannot help you with Naruto-kun." Said Orochimaru.

"That sounds like a good plan then. We need to do this so we can start building a reputation and start recruiting people to create an organization." Said Naruto. "Tayuya, want to start training?" The kunoichi nodded as the two of them left the room, quietly discussing the effectiveness of different genjutsus.

"Orochimaru what do you know about Akatsuki? I have had to move Naruto several times in the last few years. We've had individuals attempt to follow and track us and I just recently got the name." asked Itachi.

"Your best bet is to find Jiraiya. As much as I hate to say it, his ability to create and maintain a spy network is unparalleled. I've heard a bit about them and from what I know, they are especially dangerous. Every one of them is an S-ranked nuke-nin not unlike ourselves. If they are interested in Naruto-kun then perhaps one or both of us should attend the exam as well." Said Orochimaru seriously.

"How good is Tayuya? Naruto is the type of genius the shinobi world only sees once every few hundred years. He's far better than me at his age. I've no doubt of her talent as you chose her as your guard despite her age."

"She is more adept at genjutsu than anyone I have met. I took an interest in her because of her genjutsu being linked to sound, to her flute. Her main weakness is taijutsu but she has summons that can protect her if necessary. She has access to some ninjutsu but her focus is in ninjutsu as I never foresaw her acting without the rest of the Sound Four." Explained Orochimaru. He paused a second, unsure if he should ask before deciding to, continuing, "How good exactly is Naruto-kun?"

"You'll see during the Chunin exams and when you train him but his chakra control is better than most, likely better even than Hokage-sama's. He uses his Sharingan well but does not rely on them unnecessarily. His taijutsu is likely his weakest point as well. He could beat most chunin but it is not something to be relied upon heavily. His ninjutsu is where I would ask you to help him the most as he has the First Hokage's kekkai genkai Mokuton but I cannot help him with that and you are one of the few people I know that has studied it in any detail." Answered Itachi.

"What about his genjutsu?"

"Naruto is likely one of the most adept genjutsu users in the Elemental Nations. His talent with genjutsu is terrifying for his age. He managed to trap me in one of his genjutsu for almost a day before I noticed and could break out. Even if Akatsuki managed to find him, I would not worry about his ability to retreat." Admitted Itachi, a hint of pride coloring his usually monotone voice and demeanor.

"This is not the ideal combination then… Both of them have the same strengths in genjutsu and weaknesses in taijutsu with average to above average ninjutsu. I will train Naruto-kun in ninjutsu, given a few months we should be able to adequately develop his Mokuton, and give him a small stock of useful jutsus, you should train Tayuya in taijutsu exclusively so that she is able to hold her own if someone manages to break or see through her genjutsu." Said Orochimaru as he sat down with a sigh.

"Understood. How is running the village, Orochimaru? I had heard that you had started a hidden village but from what I can see it is more of a series of bases for you to experiment and conduct research rather than a true village." Asked Itachi as he sat down opposite Orochimaru.

Orochimaru sighed as he rubbed his eyes. "It's… difficult. I can see why Sarutobi-sensei left the job to Minato instead of me. It doesn't suit me… much as I hate to admit it. Kabuto has been invaluable in keeping everything from falling apart. Kabuto, the Sound Four, and myself likely make up 80-90% of Otogakure's fighting potential and that is unacceptable. The six of us cannot be everywhere at once, so I have been trying to build up our forces as quickly and stealthily as possible. I have been lucky that Konoha is in a civil war to some extent, otherwise I am sure I would have been wiped off the map already. I should try to reach out to Jiraiya and Tsunade… perhaps they will view me in a more favorable light now," muttered Orochimaru in an exhausted tone as Itachi saw the strain taking its toll on the Snake Sannin.

"It is impressive that you have managed to build this much without the backing of any of the major Elemental Nations. That in itself is an accomplishment to be proud of. Do not be arrogant, but one should also take an accurate assessment of oneself and one's accomplishments, else one becomes timid and filled with doubt." Admonished Itachi in a soft tone as he empathized with the older man.

"For Naruto-kun to be this calm and mature at his age… you have raised him well Itachi. The Chunin Exams should pose no problems for him."

"It is not exactly the Chunin Exams proper I am worrying about. There are rumors that Iwa might be planning to attack Konoha, I also wouldn't put it past Danzo to try and make a move during the Exams. The Fire Daimyo will be at the exams and Danzo is in possession of one of Shisui's eyes."

"Kotoamatsukami?" Intuited Orochimaru as he furrowed his brow. Itachi nodded. "Then you might just be sending Naruto-kun into the wolves' den… On the other hand, if he manages to come out of this unscathed, his reputation will practically build itself."

"As shinobi we must always weigh the risk against the reward. In this case, we must tip the odds so that our bet is favored." Stated Itachi as his Sharingan pulsed and swirled dangerously.

"I see. I will ask that you attempt to locate Jiraiya and Tsunade as well. If Konoha is going to be attacked, or if a civil war is to break out, having all three of the Sannin, along with yourself and Naruto-kun should give us the military strength necessary to break some sort of deadlock."

"Let us hope that it is enough."

* * *

"… You want me to not use my Sharingan, or any of the Mokuton jutsus Orochimaru has helped me with, or regenerate at the speed I am normally able to, **or** use the Kyuubi's chakra. Would you like me to just slit my throat before we begin?" said Naruto with dry sarcasm. Tayuya and Orochimaru snorted with laugher as Itachi simply sighed.

"You will have to try limit yourself during the chunin exams. I guarantee that if you display the Sharingan or Mokuton Kekkai Genkai Konoha will not be letting you leave and there will be uncomfortable interrogations… that's if Danzo doesn't get to you first. Orochimaru and I will be attending but given that we are both nuke-nin, there's a limit to how much protection and surveillance we will be able to have on you and Tayuya. You need to learn to fight without the benefits of your heritage, otherwise you will always be a slave to them, and never learn how to properly use them or manage them." Explained Itachi as Naruto grunted. He knew that that meant the younger shinobi had gotten the hint. While he was willing to be flexible and see the benefits in other people's viewpoints, Naruto hated admitting that he was wrong.

With that, Tayuya and Itachi moved a good distance away so each of the young shinobi could get training in with their respective tutors. Neither Orochimaru nor Naruto moved once they had decided to begin, both had slipped into a neutral stance and were simulating countless moves in their mind based upon the knowledge they had gained of the other. It was Orochimaru that made the first move as he lunged forward, regurgitated Kusanagi from within him as he moved to cut down Naruto.

A rare look of annoyance flitted across Naruto's usually stoic face as he quickly dodged strikes from Orochimaru's Kusanagi and his snake strikes. While it was true that the Sannin had far more battle experience than he did, his situation was not helped by the restrictions that Itachi and Orochimaru had placed upon him before training had begun.

"Katon: Goka Mekkyaku." Said Naruto as he breathed out a firestorm, engulfing not only Orochimaru but also much of the surrounding forest.

Orochimaru's eyes widened as the young shinobi performed the difficult Katon jutsu without any handsigns. Given the density of the flames Orochimaru knew that given the density of the chakra Naruto had molded into the fire any average Suiton jutsu would simply evaporate. He saw Naruto up in the tree ready to retaliate in case the Sannin was able to defend against the fire.

" _Heh… smart… Well let's see if he knows about my shedding…"_ thought Orochimaru as he allowed himself to be consumed by the flames.

Naruto waited until the fire from his jutsu had died down a bit before narrowing his eyes at the seemingly burnt out corpse of the Snake Sannin. There was no way that he had managed to kill him with just that jutsu even if he had managed to catch the more experienced shinobi off guard. If we able to use the Sharingan it would have been a simple matter to check and see the chakra of the Sannin.

" _I guess this is what Itachi nii-san meant about not rely on my heritage..."_ thought Naruto grimly as he prepared another way to see if the Sannin was simply hiding somewhere else. Perhaps underground with a Doton jutsu?

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu," murmured Naruto as he sent a volley of small fireballs at the body. The snake Sannin erupted out of his mouth, shedding the burnt-out corpse as a snake sheds its skin, slithering quickly away into the undergrowth. Naruto directed the fireballs to follow the man as landed and quickly turned to watch the explosions, knowing that it was not enough to take down the ninja. Orochimaru might not have the raw strength other S-ranked ninja possessed in their arsenal but he was far more durable, tenacious, and his intellect meant that few strategies worked on the Snake Sannin twice.

" _He's probably figuring out how to attack me best… I've only showed my Katon jutsu so he might utilize Suiton…"_

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" came the Snake Sannins voice as Naruto's eyes widened.

Three large snakes appeared in the forest beyond, and all three suddenly started moving towards his direction. Lacking any summons of his own, Naruto knew he was in a bad way. He'd have to concentrate to deal with the three snakes headed his way and that would cost him precious seconds that he would not be able to devote to the nuke-nin. Those seconds would add up over the course of the battle. Each second would pay dividends as the Sannin would be able to devise plans faster than Naruto could answer them, given his limitations. While there were still several hundred moves to play out, both could see the end game, Naruto would be checkmated by Orochimaru.

"Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu." Said Naruto ash e expelled a large cloud of mist, blanketing the area with a heavy fog.

"I would retreat at this point given that we both know continued fighting would just lead to you capturing or killing me if you were an enemy-nin." Said Naruto loudly as he dispersed the mist and Orochimaru's snake summons disappeared in clouds of smoke.

"Still to be able to use such high level Katon jutsus without any handsigns and to have the results be better than many jonin are able to do with handsigns is quite impressive Naruto-kun. I think the result would have been much closer if you weren't restrained." Praised Orochimaru as he emerged from the forest.

"It's not enough though. Itachi nii-san was right. Although my Sharingan, Mokuton, and Senju regenerative capabilities are extremely powerful, if they can somehow be neutralized or if I am unable to access them, I need to have other tactics to fall back on." Admitted Naruto.

"You are being too hard on yourself. Yes, you will be limited at the Chunin Exams but you are still able to fight at or near jonin-level without your other abilities. Beyond that, as long as you are able to calmly analyze situations the same way Itachi does, you will be able to retreat even if your opponent is far above your own abilities."

"Let's hope there aren't any other prodigies looking to make a name at the Exams." Said Naruto, although he and Orochimaru both knew that these Exams were exactly where hidden dragons like Naruto made themselves known to the world.

"Again Tayuya-chan." Murmured Itachi as he calmly caught the kunoichi's wrist before kneeing her in the side and tossing her a few feet away.

"Fuck… That hurt damn it! This is pointless, I'm fast enough to avoid most taijutsu users and my genjutsu will stop just about anyone, why do I have to get better at taijutsu?" Cursed Tayuya as she gently nursed her side.

"You are fast enough to avoid most other shinobi of genin or chunin caliber. This is true. However, if you find yourself facing a jonin taijutsu specialist like Konoha's Might Gai you would be dead before you could even start your attack pattern. The reason you must get better at taijutsu is because even if it never becomes a true weapon in your arsenal you can utilize taijutsu to create space and add versatility and flexibility to your attack patterns. We cannot all be blessed with Naruto's regenerative capabilities and a single mistake could end your life. The harder it is for an enemy to pin down your patterns, the more likely you will be able to get lucky against a stronger opponent or escape with your life." Said Itachi as he blocked all of Tayuya's punches and kicks without missing a beat. As Tayuya punched at him again, Itachi sidestepped before grabbing her arm, tripping her and using her momentum to hurl her forward onto her back.

"Shit! Why the fuck can't I hit you? You're fucking cheating with those Sharingan aren't you?" Accused Tayuya angrily as she kicked up into a fighting stance.

Itachi sighed inwardly. It seemed that the only person that Tayuya did not swear at was Naruto. It had been rather amusing to see a fourteen-year-old girl swearing vociferously at the much older, much more powerful Snake Sannin the first time, but now it was just tiresome when directed at himself.

"No Tayuya, I am not using my Sharingan. You are simply telegraphing your attacks too much. Even a genin would be able to dodge or counter your attacks so far. You need to be calmer." Said Itachi as he motioned for her to attack him again.

"Again."

* * *

Over the last few months Itachi and Orochimaru had taught the young shinobi as much as they could. While a rushed tutelage was far from ideal, they had not the time for more. Orochimaru had gathered what forces he could without alerting other spy networks and Itachi had sent word to both Jiraiya and Tsunade that a storm would blow over Konoha during the Chunin Exams. Neither had responded and they could only hope the self-imposed exile of the two Sannin would end for Konoha, and the stability of the world's sake.

"This mask should allow you to utilize your Sharingan without anyone else noticing if it becomes absolutely necessary." Said Orochimaru as he handed Naruto a white hunter-nin mask with no markings on it. "The eye slits have reflective covers on the inside so they conceal your eyes while allowing you to still see. Your visibility will be limited with the mask on though."

"Thank you Orochimaru." Said Naruto as he put on the mask and adjusted the hood on his black full‑length cloak so that you could just barely see that he had blonde hair underneath the hood.

"This is a backup flute in case your current one is lost or broken, and this a kunai with a tracker seal on it so we can come to your aid it if you or Naruto should need it." Said Itachi as he handed the items over to Tayuya.

"We will be traveling separate from you to Konoha so you don't arouse suspicion. I have a spy named Kabuto taking part in the exams as well. He won't try to make contact himself but if you get into trouble he will attempt to assist you." Said Orochimaru.

"Hopefully the next time we meet, we stand in Konoha having averted a crisis." Said Naruto.

"Good luck little brother. I know you'll make me proud." Said Itachi with a rare smile as he pulled Naruto in for a hug. "Take care of him Tayuya."

After they said their goodbyes, Naruto and Tayuya headed off. It would take a day maybe two of travel to reach Konoha from Oto and given that time they could sync their combinations better so that they would be less affected by being down a squadmate. Even though the two of them were far above genin material already, the restrictions on Naruto and the lack of any real medical ninjutsu between the two of them meant that a single slip up could have disastrous consequences.

"Naruto… Itachi said that you had a past that made you appreciate peace… What did he mean by that?" asked Tayuya as the two jumped through the trees.

"There's not much to say. I have the Kyuubi sealed inside me, so the villagers in Konoha held me responsible for what happened the day I was born. I was regularly attacked, beaten, and left for dead. I'm lucky I have the First Hokage's regenerative abilities, along with the Kyuubi's healing. I had my eyes pierced through at one point. It's as painful as it sounds." Said Naruto as he described the constant torture that was his life in a completely emotionless voice.

"How could you even want to defend Konoha? Shouldn't you want them dead? They tortured you!" Argued an aghast Tayuya. It was mindblowing that after everything these villagers had apparently inflicted upon the boy, he was still set on forgiving them and changing the world that enabled those atrocities to occur.

"Fear, hate, and revulsion are hallmarks of the current world. When people give in to those irrational ways of thinking, it creates and perpetuates a cycle of violence. I do not wish to engage in that. I don't want to create more pain in the world. Pain solves nothing. Revenge simply breeds more hate. The only path forward for us is to forgive." Said Naruto as he looked at Tayuya with a smile.

"I've never met anyone like you." Said Tayuya honestly. She was amazed that someone like him could ever exist. He seemed to hold only compassion within him, and given the circumstances that he had lived through, he was positively saint-like.

"You're the special one," said Naruto, surprising Tayuya. "You lived a life of fear, but you did not have any sort of healing or ability to rely on. You managed to survive, grow strong, and yet you never closed off your heart from the world or those weaker than you. If anyone is inspiring, it's you."

"I… thank you, Naruto." Naruto simply smiled again, nodded, and continued moving towards Konoha.

* * *

"Names?" asked the gate guard in bored voice. With Konoha hosting the Chunin Exams, a whole host of shinobi from both the large and small Elemental Nations had flooded into Konoha. While security overall was up in the village; Danzo and The Third Hokage had called a temporary truce to allow Konoha to put up a front of stability and strength for the visiting Kages, Daimyos, and potential clients, the gate guards were overworked, underpaid, and bored to death.

"Tayuya and Samsara, genin without a village, but we have a scroll of sponsorship and approval from Otogakure." Said Naruto as he handed the scroll over to the guard. He and Tayuya waited patiently as the guard looked through the scroll before handing it back to Naruto and waving them through.

"Next!" shouted the Guard as the procession of shinobi made their way up while Naruto and Tayuya moved into the village.

"Was there anyone here that treated you with kindness?" asked Tayuya as they slowly walked through the village. She couldn't quite reconcile the peaceful surroundings with the darkness that Naruto had described.

"There's a ramen place… Teuchi and his daughter Ayame never treated me like a monster and they always would give me food even if I didn't have money at the time. I'd like to take you after the exam is over, if you would like." Offered Naruto. Tayuya blushed but nodded appreciatively.

"I'd like that."

Naruto and Tayuya watched a small boy that Naruto recognized as the Hokage's grandson run into a teen with a black, baggy full body suit and a triangular face paint design and a large wrapped object on his back. He was flanked by a tall girl with teal eyes and sandy blonde hair pulled back into four pigtails. She carried a large metal fan on her back. Both Naruto and Tayuya also noted a boy with green eyes, spiky auburn hair and a large gourd on his back, standing upside down from a tree watching the situation.

" _So he's a jinchuriki as well… this exam is getting troublesome."_ Thought Naruto as he sensed the chakra and killing intent emanating from the boy.

"Ouch. That hurt you little brat." Said the man with face paint in an angry voice as he grabbed Konohamaru with by the heck and lifted him up.

"Don't. We'll get yelled at later." Said the girl.

"Let's play a little before the boss gets back." Said the face painted teen as he cocked his left hand back in preparation to punch Konohamaru.

"What do you think you're doing?" came a voice from behind both Naruto and Tayuya. They turned and saw a young boy with spiky black hair and a girl with long pink hair, both sporting Konoha headbands. Based upon the description given by Itachi, both of them realized the boy must have been Sasuke.

"I hate showboats like you the most…" Said the face painted man as he tilted the heavily wrapped object beside him. After he dropped Konohamaru the kid ran away as fast as he could, not looking back. "Why don't you come down here…"

"Kankuro stop it." Said the auburn-haired boy as he finally made everyone other than Naruto and Tayuya aware of himself. "You're an embarrassment to our village."

"G-gaara…" gulped Kankuro with a nervous smile on his face.

"Losing control of yourself because someone taunted you. How pathetic… Temari why didn't you stop him? Why do you think we came to Konoha?" asked Gaara in an emotionless tone.

"Listen, Gaara the brat started it…"

"Shut up. I will kill you." Interrupted Gaara, stunning everyone except Naruto and Tayuya.

"O- okay… we're sorry…. Really sorry…" said Temari and Kankuro as they both apologized profusely to the younger looking boy.

"Sorry to all of you." Said Gaara as he disappeared and reappeared in between Kankuro and Temari. "It looks like we got here early, but we didn't come here to play around. Let's go."

"Wait a second… judging by your headbands you guys are from Suna right? Even though we're allies… it's forbidden for shinobis to enter each other's villages without permission. State your purpose." Said the pink headed girl.

"Talk about being clueless…" said Temari as she flashed her pass to the Konoha genin. "We're here to take the Chunin Exam Konoha is hosting. You know my name already pinkie, what's yours?"

"Haruno Sakura."

"What are your names? You with the dark hair, you with the mask, and you with red hair. I'm interested in you guys." Said Gaara emotionlessly.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Samsara."

"Tayuya."

"I will look out for you in the exams…" Gaara turned around and walked away as Kankuro and Temari wordlessly followed him. Naruto and Tayuya also moved to leave before being stopped by Sasuke and Sakura.

"The two of you are taking the Chunin Exams but I don't see any headbands. Which village are you from?" asked Sasuke.

"We have no village but we have a scroll of sponsorship and approval from Oto." Said Tayuya as Naruto wordlessly nodded.

"Huh… you guys must be really strong or have a deathwish. Well, see you in the exams." Said Sasuke as he and Sakura left.

"Looks like there's going to a bunch of bothersome ones huh?" asked Tayuya as Naruto simply sighed in agreement.

"Let's go. The exam should be starting tomorrow morning, and we still need to get a room for the night." Said Naruto as he and Tayuya both headed off, vaguely following the direction that Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari went.


End file.
